MAP Staff & Peer Leaders at the Mural Unveiling for South Cove Community Health Center

Hepatitis B Initiative

The Hepatitis B Initiative (HBI) is a partnership between MAP for Health and student organizations from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called Team HBV. The goal is to help communities prevent Hepatitis B among high-risk groups, particularly Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIs).

Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal disease affecting the liver. According to the Center for Disease Control, APIs are 7 times more likely than Caucasians to be fatally infected with Hepatitis B. This program was created to educate Asian communities about the risks of Hepatitis B, and to encourage prevention practices, screenings, and vaccinations among adults and children born outside the US or in the US before 1991.

We've developed culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach materials on Hepatitis B as well as collaborated with community organizations and clinics to launch educational campaigns and provide free Hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations.

Educational Presentations- presented in ESL classes at several organizations in Chinatown, including Asian American Civic Association and Boston Chinese Evangelical Church.

Community Events - attend annual community fairs, including the Quincy Lunar New Year Festival and Dorchester’s Tet in Boston Festival and participate in World Hepatitis Day (July 28th), an awareness event held annually in Boston.

Youth Workshops - empower youth of Boston to take an active role in raising awareness about Hepatitis B. Educational workshops are provided to youth groups about Hepatitis B, community outreach, and how they can become a leader in their communities to help with this initiative.

Screening events - HBI has a partnership with Quest Diagnostics to provide free Hepatitis B screenings for the community. Screenings are held at MAP for Health and/or other local community organizations. HBI has also developed a 15-minute presentation that covers what Hepatitis B is, the importance of screening, and how it can be prevented.